The National Treasury’s decision to exempt Eskom from some aspects of the Public Finance Management Act, announced last week by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, has received a public backlash in the wake of mismanagement and widespread allegations of corruption within the power utility.
Godongwana subsequently withdrew Eskom’s exemption from disclosing its finances to allow him to further consult with the auditor-general’s office on the matter.
The backlash to the exemption, coupled with former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter’s allegations that at least two ANC Cabinet ministers were involved in corruption at Eskom, was fierce.
De Ruyter had also claimed that criminal cartels were siphoning up to R1 billion from Eskom, giving rise to questions around whether the financial controls at Eskom were strict enough.
University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst…
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Sunday Independent (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2023-04-09